 Awesome graphics package
 Great dungeons to explore
 Lots of techniques and equipment to use
 Tingle Tuner is a nice addition to game

The Bad

 In-game camera can use some work
 A little on the easy side

Grade

A

The newest installment in the Legend of Zelda series,
the first for the Gamecube, has already had a long and contentious
history, well before its release here in the states. When
screenshots of the game's new cartoony design surfaced, many
staunch fans rose up in arms over the stylistic change. Given
time, many learned to accept the change. No matter how the
game looks, though, it is still, at its core, a Legend
of Zelda game, and that alone carries a level of expected
quality that Nintendo has managed to deliver.

The game begins on Outset Island, where the young boy, Link,
celebrates his coming of age. As is tradition, he gains a
green outfit that celebrates the legendary Hero of Time, who
saved the world many years ago. When Link's sister is kidnapped
by a large bird, he goes to free her, only to discover that
she's not the only girl kidnapped and that once again, the
world is in danger. At that point, he must travel around the
world to gain magical pearls to aid in his quest.

The core gameplay behind The Wind Waker is much like
previous Legend of Zelda titles. Link has both sword
and shield and a wide range of abilities to aid him in fighting
enemies. The L-Button allows you to lock onto targets, the
B-Button serves as an attack button and the R-Button allows
you to block with your shield. During a fight you can use
both the A and B-Buttons to perform a variety of techniques,
allowing for some in-depth strategy to combat. The further
you get into the game, the more challenging enemies become.
You'll find yourself needing to figure out each enemy's weakness
and exploiting it to win. Along with Link's fighting techniques,
he has the ability to crouch and crawl and even has a limited
ability to swim. He can also pick up many items throughout
each area, like pots, sticks, bombs and even the weapons of
fallen foes. Throw in some stealth elements that don't seem
to get used too much after the first dungeon and Link has
more than enough moves to get through the game.

Along the way, you will find a number of items and equipment
essential in moving on. Each new item, like the grappling
hook, Deku Leaf or boomerang, has multiple uses and proves
to be necessary in defeating enemies, passing through the
dungeon and even defeating nearby bosses. Players will need
to equip the items on either the X, Y or Z-Buttons and during
gameplay, press the corresponding button to use them. Two
of the more interesting items you gain through the game are
the Wind Waker and the Tingle Tuner. The Wind Waker is a magical
baton that allows you to change the flow of the wind by performing
the notes of a song with the C-stick. You can also change
the tempo and volume of the song with the analog stick. Using
the Wind Waker is essential in traveling on the open see and
even gaining access to certain locations with the use of the
Deku Leaf. On the other hand, the Tingle Tuner, which requires
you connect your Gameboy Advance to use, is not essential
to the game, but is still nice to play with. When using the
device, you can have Tingle use items, locate secrets in the
game or even look at the dungeon map even if you don't have
one. You can even play a limited two-player with the aid of
a friend using Tingle.

Probably the biggest strength of the game is the dungeons
and your ability just to explore the immense world at hand.
The dungeons are magnificently laid out and require a good
bit of thought to successfully complete. Unlike most games,
the solution is not always easy and straightforward. Once
you realize that you have to use your equipment and even your
head, you'll grow to love each and every dungeon your visit.
When not in dungeons, you can visit a variety of locations,
where you'll be able to do small tasks or even mini-games
for prizes. On the open sea, you'll use the wind and a sail
to move from island to island and once you find Treasure Charts,
you can even use the grappling hook to dredge up treasure
from the bottom of the sea.

Graphically, the game is gorgeously realized. You can not
fault the level of quality packed into the game visually.
The world of The Wind Waker is built in what Shigeru
Miyamoto termed as "Toon Shading", which is not unlike cel-shading,
but without the harsh outline. Fully realized and superbly
animated, this graphic style makes the game feel like you're
playing a cartoon rather than a videogame. The design of every
location and character are done well and fit perfectly into
The Wind Waker's world. Throw in some excellent draw
distance (you can basically go anywhere you can see), and
a lot of great visual effects and you have a great package.
The star of the graphics is Link himself, who shows a wide
range of facial expressions, giving his character a lot of
life. Whether you appreciate the graphics is largely hinged
on each player's personal taste when it comes to the style
of the graphics. While you may not like the style itself,
you can not deny the quality of the product.

The audio portion of the game is well crafted. The soundtrack
by Koji Kondo is largely a mixture of new and old themes that
manage to work well together in setting a tone perfect for
each locale throughout the adventure. Sound effects, for the
most part, are well done and accurate. There are a number
of familiar effects from previous Zeldas and I even
noted a few sound effects that felt like they came from the
same library as Super Mario
Sunshine and Animal Crossing.

With so much going for The Wind Waker, there are a
few minor drawbacks that hold the game back. First and foremost,
the in-game camera, which is controlled with the C-Stick,
is fairly decent, but there are times where it goes haywire
or just refuses to give you a good view of the area. If you're
caught in a fight near a wall, expect the camera to fly about
uselessly. Also, the sailing portion of the game can grow
a little tiresome after a while, especially since that's your
means of travel throughout most of the game. For those who've
experienced previous Zelda titles, the game does tend
to be on the easy side.

The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker is a finely crafted
title that most should enjoy. The adventure is told and realized
well, giving gamers a wonderful experience that builds on
previous Legend of Zelda titles. Except for those rare
few who just can't accept the change in visual style, this
title is a must-buy.

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